14 budget destinations around the world

Albania

Gent Shkullaku / AFP/Getty Images

Follow the Adriatic coast from Croatia to Greece and you'll discover little-known beaches on the coast of mountainous Albania. Those who take the time to explore will be rewarded with an authentic culture (which remains intact, largely because of decades of Cold War isolation) and prices far cheaper than those across the Adriatic in Italy. Rooms in beach towns such as Dhermi (pictured), Himara, Ksamili, Saranda and Vlora cost as little as $33 a night. Or you can bundle Albania with Croatia, Montenegro and Greece on a nine-day guided tour through G Adventures for $999 a person (land cost only). Info: http://www.albaniantourism.com; package info: G Adventures, http://www.gadventures.com

Follow the Adriatic coast from Croatia to Greece and you'll discover little-known beaches on the coast of mountainous Albania. Those who take the time to explore will be rewarded with an authentic culture (which remains intact, largely because of decades of Cold War isolation) and prices far cheaper than those across the Adriatic in Italy. Rooms in beach towns such as Dhermi (pictured), Himara, Ksamili, Saranda and Vlora cost as little as $33 a night. Or you can bundle Albania with Croatia, Montenegro and Greece on a nine-day guided tour through G Adventures for $999 a person (land cost only). Info: http://www.albaniantourism.com; package info: G Adventures, http://www.gadventures.com (Gent Shkullaku / AFP/Getty Images)

Could Nicaragua be the new Costa Rica, a tourist favorite? Lonely Planet dubs this country an "A-grade Central American attraction" unto itself, from the Colonial architecture of León to surfing in San Juan del Sur. The big scenic star: Concepción volcano on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, where $25 gets you a guided hike to the top. Or you could spend eight days with Nicaragua Adventures visiting Managua, León, Granada (pictured), mountain villages and Lake Nicaragua start at $699 a person (land only). Info: http://www.visitanicaragua.com (Spanish) or http://www.visitnicaragua.us; package info: Nicaragua Adventures, http://www.nica-adventures.com/NicaraguaDiscovery.

Could Nicaragua be the new Costa Rica, a tourist favorite? Lonely Planet dubs this country an "A-grade Central American attraction" unto itself, from the Colonial architecture of León to surfing in San Juan del Sur. The big scenic star: Concepción volcano on Ometepe Island in Lake Nicaragua, where $25 gets you a guided hike to the top. Or you could spend eight days with Nicaragua Adventures visiting Managua, León, Granada (pictured), mountain villages and Lake Nicaragua start at $699 a person (land only). Info: http://www.visitanicaragua.com (Spanish) or http://www.visitnicaragua.us; package info: Nicaragua Adventures, http://www.nica-adventures.com/NicaraguaDiscovery. (Stephanie Lim / Getty Images)